History says highly touted rookie tight ends don’t always make a major impact right away

By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — This rookie class of tight ends already made quite an impact on the draft. They’ll have to buck history if they’re going to leave the same type of impression on the field this year. Tight end is one of the toughest positions for rookies to make huge contributions. Only five rookie tight ends in NFL history have caught as many as 60 passes. This year’s rookie class features nine tight ends who got drafted in the first three rounds. That’s the highest total since the common draft era began in 1967.